Indian cricket curators prepare another green pitch at Indore for third Test against Australia

Images have emerged from Indore of another patchwork pitch being prepared by Indian curators ahead of Australia’s third Test.

AAP reporter Oliver Caffrey shared the first images of the Indore pitch with the caption ‘look at all that grass in Indore’. 

The middle of the pitch is tantalising green, but Aussie pace bowlers hoping to extract something from the wicket are going to be disappointed, because both ends of the pitch are as barren and dry as the Simpson Desert. 

It is set to be another huge turner.

Making matters worse, there is footage of bare-footed workers using the heavy roller to smash down the grassy spots, ensuring there will be little left for the pace bowlers when play starts on Wednesday. 

An overhead shot shows the green patch in the middle, the dry ends and a team of Indian groundskeepers working on the pitch

The green patch in the middle is being given a heavy workout by the roller

Cricket fans were blunt at the site of the patchwork pitch designed purely to assist the Indian spin bowlers. 

‘So India really don’t have a grounds man cause technically it’s not a cricket pitch?? A 10yr old could prepare a shit heap like this,’ one fan posted.

‘Wait for 48 hrs and grass will turn red,’ posted another.

‘India 3-0 loading,’ added another. 

While the grassy middle could tempt the Australians to play more pace bowlers, options are limited with skipper Pat Cummins returning home to Australia to be with his sick mother while Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out through injury.

In a boost for the Aussies, allrounder Cameron Green and pace spearhead Mitchell Starc are set to return from finger injuries and could be the pace options rolled out in Indore.

There’s going to be a level of discomfort for a little while, I don’t think it is going to be 100 per cent for a little while,’ Starc said in Indore on Monday. 

‘But the ball is coming out quite nicely and I feel like I’m pretty much at full tilt.

‘It wouldn’t be the first Test match I’ve played in some sort of discomfort.

‘If I only played when I was at 100 per cent I would have only played five or 10 Tests.

‘I’m happy with where it’s at and I’ve built up enough of a pain threshold to deal with that stuff over the last 10 or 12 years.’

Starc has returned to bowling in a boost for the Aussies and he is set to replace Pat Cummins in the Aussie attack

Footage has also emerged of Starc extracting reverse swing in the nets at Indore and he is confident the body is ready to go. 

‘I had 10 days off when I first did the injury and I’ve been bowling since,’ Starc said.

‘Workload-wise, body-wise, no concern at all, I’m comfortable and happy with where my numbers are, where my body is at preparing for this series.

‘Very happy with where it’s all at, now it’s just an execution of skills having had a break from game time.’

The Aussies are taking no chances ahead of the third Test, bringing in Indian Cricview Academy leg spinner Sahil Tyagi to bowl in the nets.

Tyagi is an emerging Indian talent and spent hours bowling to the Aussie top order including Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.